The Gifted 1×02 – rX

Much like the pilot, the second hour wastes no time getting into the thick of things: our core characters are all separated, hunted and scared. While the decision to split the episode into three distinct storylines may not seem like a great idea (Heroes could only do it for so long before it crashed and burned), rX surprisingly makes it work. In fact, it’s even more effective in world-building and character development than the pilot, and that’s quite the achievement.

Even more impressive are Eclipse and Caitlin’s scenes at the hospital. There’s no denying that Amy Acker is the MVP of this show already, but I’m even more fascinated by her chemistry with Sean Teale. While it’s definitely not romantic, their dynamic feels very original, whether she’s helping him steal medicine for Blink or having a heart-to-heart in the car. Let’s hope the writers continue to explore this intriguing new friendship in the future.

Perhaps the most eye-popping visuals of the hour are Polaris’ scenes at the prison. Director Lin Wiseman (of Underworld fame) does a great job bringing to life scenes that are typically bleak, thanks to his use of color (there’s a lot of purple and blue in this episode) and cool special effects. In addition, Polaris’ fight sequence with another inmate is just as thrilling as any other action scene in this episode, and that captivating shot of her in the shower left me absolutely breathless. This show already looks like it’s more than just a typical run-of-the-mill superhero saga, and that’s pretty damn cool.

Xtra Bits

– Awesome moment: Lauren using her mutant powers to knock down that last bowling pin in the flashback. More of this please!

– Thrilling sequence with the pick-up truck driving through one of the portals and almost killing everyone at the Underground.

– So we learn that there was an incident in July involving a mutant battle which led to the death of Turner’s daughter. At least this adds some layers to the character.

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Published by Chris Chedrawi

A computer science graduate hoping to write his own TV show one day, Chris is a regular guest reviewer on Nad's Reviews and is currently covering Will & Grace and The Americans, among other shows.
View all posts by Chris Chedrawi

2 comments

So true about Mindy and Revenge I felt the exact same way. My favorite moment was Polaris getting her revenge on that bully in the yard. Gave me goosebumps. But did she kills her? They never told us and it sure looked like it. Reminded me of Supergirl this week and the elevator scene that they just forgot about ugh!

Hahaha you’re right they never showed us whatever happened to her! Very strange. Definitely didn’t bother me as much as Supergirl’s thing oh dear lord. Still waiting on your EVIL REVIEW yalla! Those are the best 😁😁